


Mirror, Mirror

by iamanidhwal



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi Keiji & Kozume Kenma Friendship, Akaashi Keiji Is So Done, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Angst, Betrayal, Bokuto Koutarou & Kuroo Tetsurou Friendship, Bokuto Koutarou & Kuroo Tetsurou are Bros, Fluff and Angst, Heist, Kozume Kenma & Kuroo Tetsurou Friendship, Kozume Kenma is a Good Friend, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Good Friend, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Good Significant Other, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Little Shit, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Tease, M/M, Minor Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Museums, Plot Twists, Protective Kuroo Tetsurou, Secretive Tsukishima Kei, Secrets, Spies & Secret Agents, Suspense, Suspicions, Tsukishima Kei & Yamaguchi Tadashi Friendship, Tsukishima Kei is a Good Significant Other, Tsukishima Kei is a Little Shit, Tsukishima Kei is a Mess, Tsukishima Kei is a Tease, spy AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26732728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamanidhwal/pseuds/iamanidhwal
Summary: Tetsurou takes one good look at the contents of the manila folder he has in his hands before sliding it back over on the metal table, face warping into a grimace due to mixed offence and disgust.“You have got to be kidding me."--Special Agent Kuroo Tetsurou had been on a roll, taking on successful missions left and right. But right as he was riding the high of a winning streak, it all comes crashing down when he's assigned to take on an undercover assignment to protect a civilian: young museum curator, Tsukishima Kei.And although he thinks that this was going to be a walk through the park, it's not. Because Tsukishima was an enigma he couldn't figure out, and Kuroo has a gut feeling that there's something much more to the man than at first glance.That, or he was playing a dangerous game of getting way too involved with the person he was tasked to only protect.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei
Comments: 12
Kudos: 94
Collections: Luna & Noir: KuroTsuki Fest 2020





	Mirror, Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> This is open-ended because it will be the first part of a loooong multi-chapter fic! I apologize that the whole thing isn't up yet, but I had to cut it here since the build-up from here on out is pretty much linear to the story.
> 
> I plan to edit and change this oneshot fic into a multi-chap one after the krtsk luna&noir fest is over, so if you want more, please subscribe so you'll be notified of any changes and chapters added! 
> 
> Enjoy <3

* * *

Kuroo Tetsurou takes one good look at the contents of the manila folder he has in his hands before sliding it back over on the metal table, face warping into a grimace due to mixed offence and disgust. 

“You have _got_ to be kidding me,” he spits out, words laced with as much contempt and incredulity as he can muster without swearing. Even though the cuss words were already dangling at the tip of his tongue, he refuses to let it slip. He was still seated across a person who was, technically, still one of his bosses, and he was still at the receiving end of a task order. 

The shadowed figure sitting across the table from him leans forward, her face illuminated dramatically by the single light hanging over both of their heads. Suzumeda Kaori's face, usually bright whenever Kuroo sees her around or after-hours in the Agency, now appears stone-cold and merciless. The usual sparkle of friendliness and playfulness is gone, replaced with professional apathy that only those from the Administration side of the Agency can exude. Kuroo allows himself a split-second to admire her ability to keep her composure, especially remembering the absolute banging weekend bender they have had just a few days prior, with the agent the one hosting and inviting all his friends from work, and Kaori knocking back shot after shot like an absolute champ.

Comparing _that_ (‘Kaori’) to _this_ ('Suzumeda-san’) was like willingly subjecting oneself to whiplash. Not fun.

"This order is from the higher-ups, Kuroo,” Kaori says in as deadpan of a voice as possible, one slender finger tapping at the folder in between them. Kuroo throws it a disgusted look, but Kaori keeps talking as if he didn't. “Head management specifically assigned this to you.”

‘ _Yeah, well, it’s a bullshit case that any rookie can take, so piss off_ ,’ he so badly wants to retort, but he has to control himself. Kaori was just handing out the assignment, anyway. She wasn’t the one who sealed the whole thing over.

But it still irritates him, and it shows in the agitated bounce in his leg, the pronounced tick on his cheek when he clenches and unclenches his jaw. Kuroo picks his next words out carefully, but it still comes out as accusatory. “Head management told me to back off the case I’ve been eyeing.”

“I know.”

“It's an overseas assignment. Protection of shipment of goods with my usual gang.”

“I know this, Kuroo.”

“I basically had first dibs on that baby, and now they’re telling me to back off?” He flips the folder open, all but shoves it forward. Kaori doesn’t look at it. They both already know the contents of it — a number of black lines with a name, a location, and a job description that was as exciting as white bread. 

“Tryin’ to convince me this is gonna be a better assignment. Really? _Individual marked protection_? Of a _civvy_?” Kuroo has to laugh, because this was ridiculous. He hasn’t received an assignment of protecting a civilian in _years_. This had _rookie_ written all over the single white page inside that flimsy-looking folder. He so badly wants to burn it, then stomp on its ashes out of spite just thinking about it. “Kao- Suzumeda-san, no offense, but don’t you think that’s way too low for my paygrade?”

There’s a beat of silence, because they both know this is true. Kuroo Tetsurou is one of the Agency’s most skilled and most trusted agents, always a constant when it comes to assignments that are both high-risk and high-return. His leadership skills are phenomenal, and he’s maintained his hand-to-hand combat and marksmanship scores as one of the highest and most consistent, even among his older peers. He’s been given award after award for a high number of successful missions under his belt. 

Kaori knows this, particularly because she had been a long-term member of the Agency, and an even longer friend. The corners of her mouth fractionally dip in understanding, but she smooths out her face in a second that Kuroo doesn’t even have the time to properly react to what he saw as acquiesce. 

“The point still stands that this is an assignment specifically handed by Head Management. To you, in particular.” Kaori carefully pushes the folder towards him. “Says right here — Mr. Tsukishima — must be marked and protected at all costs.” 

“He works in a _museum_ , for Christ’s sake! What the hell kind of trouble is he getting into?” Tetsurou all but demands, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “Am I going to have to take care so that he doesn’t sneeze because of all that damn dust? Is he going to get pinned down by a marble statue and can’t get up?”

“The specifics of the case aren’t known, Kuroo. Not to me, not to you. You know this.”

He does. All tasked assigned, especially to agents specifically named for the job, had a reason. They were always perfectly matched, one way or another, but the matching process has never been revealed, nor the logic behind it. Agents were just handed the details of the case, and they’re expected to accept it — no ifs, no whys, no buts. 

He _knows_ this, but it doesn’t help alleviate his foul mood any. Kuroo still wants to throw a temper tantrum about it. 

Kaori, however, is taking none of it. She closes the folder and slides it over to him once again. “You know you can’t refuse.”

There’s a heavy silence that settles between them, thick enough to cut with the hunting knife that Kuroo has hidden in his boot. He glares -- not at Kaori, but at a spot above her head, trying to calm himself down enough rather than to waste energy cursing and demanding, because doing so was just going to tire himself out, like screaming profanities at a brick wall. Kuroo knew that he had no other choice, and that whatever back-and-forth he’s got going on right now with her was nothing but a delaying tactic, to postpone the inevitable. 

It’s only a few more moments before he stands up, and, like a child, swipes the folder off the metal table, grumbling. He gives it a once-over, skimming the page for the most important information he needs, eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline with every line he reads. “An eight-week duration? In Sendai?"

Kaori straightens in her seat, hands clasped together on the table. “You’ll be given a vehicle and temporary housing. Reports should be given weekly back here in headquarters. Compensation will be given.”

“Yeah, but someone has to take care of Jeremy.”

“Jeremy?”

“My beta fish,” he says absently. “Just bought him after that night raid job with Yaku and Lev in Tsukuba two weeks ago.”

He looks over the folder just in time to see Kaori silently roll her eyes. “Fine, your fish — “

“He has a name.”

“ — _Jeremy_ — will be taken care of,” the freckle-faced woman promises, stressing on the name just to appease him. “Any other questions?”

“Last one.” He flips the folder over to show her a line in the given text. “' _No given cover indicated_.'”

“Freestyle.”

Kuroo probably looks bug-eyed by the way he just stared at Kaori, and it’s only after a few beats of silence that he finally understands… “You’re not joking.”

Kaori gives him a deadpan look, then waves the briefing for him again. “Better hurry, Kuroo. Your car will be ready in an hour. Be back at the Agency with your stuff — and Jeremy — by then.”

He knows he can’t say no. He knows that whatever he does, he has to accept whatever’s been handed to him from the higher-ups. Because that’s what a good Agent would do. That’s what they expected _Kuroo Tetsurou_ to do. Even when he wants to do fuck else.

So when he sees a little leeway for him to gripe about his assignment and, basically, his life situation for the next two months, within the bounds of professionalism, he absolutely fucking takes it.

“You better make my ride a fucking Mazda,” he demands before stomping out of the room, the cursed manila folder with a single piece of paper tucked between his arm and body.

* * *

As expected, it wasn’t a fucking Mazda. 

But to their credit, the people over at Tech gave Kuroo a decent-looking sedan, sleek and black and up-to-date. It wasn't too new that it would gain unwarranted attention from onlookers and passersby, and not too old that it needed tune-ups over the course of the Agent’s assignment. There was no sunroof, which he was a bit bummed about, since he liked the cars with the little sunroof just ‘cause, but he liked the car’s interior and bass system, with it reverberating all throughout his hours-long ride to Sendai.

He’d been given instructions to retrieve a duffel bag from a locker in Sendai Station, the key being handed to him, along with a slip of paper that contained an address, likely his temporary residence, by Kaori. She had given him a small sympathetic smile and told him that she’d be taking care of Jeremy for him. In turn, he offers a quiet apology for his earlier behavior, as well as thanks for pet-sitting.

Although still simmering from his earlier outburst about having to go to Sendai on his own, Kuroo finds himself calm by the time he was on the road. The rolling fields that replaced the towering buildings of the urban metropolis giant that was Tokyo were a sight that he hadn’t seen for a long, long time, and he appreciated it, all lush and green and endless. The horizon was a bright blue, with white tufts of clouds breaking the surface every now and then. At some point, he even rolled his windows down halfway to appreciate the breeze that whipped through as he drove down the highway at the minimum speed limit. 

He had eight weeks on this assignment, and, technically, it only starts tomorrow. He had a little less than a day to kill in the countryside, so Tetsurou didn’t feel at all guilty taking his sweet, sweet time. 

Taking the nondescript bag from the Sendai Station took no time at all. And when Kuroo felt some eyes on the back of his head, he dawdled by the table overlooking the train schedules that were coming in from Tokyo and inquired at the information desk about ticket prices; anything that could throw off suspicion. He had wasted all of twenty minutes just dawdling around when he finally drove down through the main road and around the neighborhood of his supposed temporary place of residence, casually casing the area for any blind spots.

He almost skids to a stop when he sees a Starbucks, and he immediately parks and enters the joint. Seeing the familiar mermaid logo gave him some sense of relief.

The interior was a bit more relaxed and less full than the Starbucks joints he had been accustomed to in Tokyo. He finds that he liked it, and even though there was still a line of four people, Kuroo was still fine with waiting just a little bit.

He vaguely wondered if there were any regional drinks (Starbucks had that thing, right? _Glocalization_ , and all that; he heard Akaashi mention it once or twice during a stakeout one chilly night), and he turns to check the menu.

There’s a tall blonde right in front of him, shuffling forward a little as the line moved on. And even though his head is ducked as he mindlessly scrolled through his phone, Kuroo has to crane his neck this way and that to see the featured drink on the board above the barista’s heads. His eyes quickly wander, however, to the way the blonde’s hair curls at the tip over delicate-looking ears, the pale strip of skin and the slender curve of his nape before it disappeared into a comfy-looking light sweater.

The sound of someone clearing their throat breaks Kuroo from whatever spell he’s under. The blonde had been side-eyeing him for God knows how long, suspicious. He’s quickly pocketing his phone. 

“Sorry, did you need anything?” he asks, all clipped and defensive. Tense shoulders. Guards up. _Uh oh._

Kuroo holds his hands up to appease him. “Sorry, sorry, couldn’t see the menu.”

“…Right.” By the way his lips are set into a thin line, he looks unconvinced. _Shit._

Luckily for him though, the line moves forward, and Kuroo is saved from fumbling over an excuse to justify him obviously checking the guy out. Said guy is up front talking to the cashier now, his previous annoyance instantly smoothed over by a calm expression. 

He offers the timid-looking barista a small smile before ordering. “Caramel macchiato. Upside down. Light ice. Venti. Can that be switched to soy milk?” 

‘ _Ah, so he’s this type of person_ ,’ Kuroo thinks to himself, busying himself with looking at the menu. 

There was a regional drink — something that looked like a sakura matcha and espresso infusion. It sounded confusing. Kuroo decidedly does not choose the drink when it’s his turn to order, defaulting with his regular iced Americano with two pumps of hazelnut, sans milk.

By the time he’s at the hand-off area, he sees that the blonde guy that was ahead of him is still mightily busy with whatever he’s reading on his phone. So busy, in fact, that he hadn’t noticed his drink was already out — tall, with a beautiful brown-to-white gradient. Kuroo vaguely wonders if whatever document or e-book is reading was that riveting. He only ever found good spy books or thriller books were best enjoyed in paperback, but the last time he ever did that was during a stakeout, and he almost lost his mark. Keyword: _almost._

“For ‘K’?” The barista at the hand-off area calls out, reading the letter. Kuroo had still been undecided on whether to use his real name or just an alibi. He was given free reign for his cover, but he still hadn’t thought of anything solid for his name. So all he said was an initial, keep it safe for now. Who knows if he has to keep going back to this joint, anyway?

Kuroo moves forward to get the Americano, but when he reaches out, he sees another hand close over his drink. “Hey — “

“Ah? This isn’t…” It was the blonde guy again, only this time he’s scrutinizing the pitch-black liquid inside the cup. There’s a small frown on his face, kind of like a pout almost, and his eyebrows are scrunched up in the most adorable way.

' _Get your shit together, Tetsurou_ ,’ he internally chides himself. 

“Hey, uh, yeah, that’s mine,” Kuroo steps forward. The blonde looks up and there’s some sort of recognition (maybe from earlier) and a flicker of annoyance ( _definitely_ from earlier) that passes through his face when he realizes who’s talking to him again. He tamps down his temper and points to the coffee that’s basically half-milk sitting on the counter. “That’s yours.” 

“But they… _oh_.” Realization sets in, and now the blonde’s cheeks are dusted with a light pink as he picks up the right drink and replaces Kuroo's Americano back down.

Kuroo finds it fucking adorable, and a laugh bubbles up from his chest before he could stop it. It’s halfway out his mouth when he remembers he probably looks like a prick with it. He tries to smother it back down again, poorly disguising it into a cough, but the blonde just cast him a withering look over his shoulder before abruptly leaving the shop without a second glance.

“Mmhm, guess I deserved that,” he mumbles to himself, picking up his drink before going back to his car and driving the rest of the way to the place he’ll be temporarily calling home. 

A quick look-around was he first on his agenda, mapping out the modest little 1DK studio apartment that the Agency gave for him to use. It was situated in a relatively quiet neighborhood, with a small balcony but pretty high up and blinds that could deter peepers and any thieving intentions. He lets out a small sigh of relief that it wasn’t a traditional style of apartment; Kuroo likes sleeping in on days that he can actually afford it, and having a futon type of sleeping situation definitely complicates that.

He makes quick work of depositing his duffle bag right on the bed and unpacking his stuff with soft music from his phone playing in the background. And after a quick shower and a short trip to a nearby convenience store, he starts to begin his review. There's folders and his work laptop right on the small kitchen table, along with three onigiris, two cans of iced coffee and a box of Pocky, which Kuroo basically inhales as he tries to learn about anything and everything related to the case.

Which, he soon finds out, isn’t really much. _That’s a first_ , Kuroo thinks to himself. Because, usually, the Agency would give him a comprehensive set of facts, a list of things that he must absolutely know. Even such a simple job as protecting an individual _at least_ had some information, or even a goddamned picture to accompany it. Name, age, height and weight, physical appearance, affiliations, schools, places they frequent, likes and dislikes. And yet the briefing he had for this _Tsukishima_ guy was fairly blank.

His phone vibrates on the tabletop, and he swipes it to see that he had messages from his friends.

**Bokuto:** BRO

**Bokuto:** B R O

**Bokuto: _B R O_**

**Kuroo:** How are you even doing that

**Akaashi:** I taught him how to do it.

**Kenma:** can you teach me too

**Akaashi:** Sure, but I’d have to get your phone for maybe 30 minutes.

**Kenma:** nty, rank match in 10 min

**Bokuto:** @Kuroo WHERE ARE YOU

**Kuroo:** Assignment in sendai

**Bokuto:** SENDAI???????

**Kuroo:** Bo I literally told u earlier at lunch

**Bokuto:** NO YOU DIDN’T???

**Akaashi:** He did.

**Kenma:** he did (2)

**Lev:** I heard it three! :D

**Yaku: s h u t u p**

**Akaashi:** We’re sad you won’t be going with us, Kuroo-san.

**Akaashi:** I know just how much you were looking forward to this assignment.

Kuroo grimaces at the reminder. While he was stuck in Sendai babysitting, his usual team — Bokuto, Akaashi, Kenma, Lev and Yaku — were all assigned in lump to that overseas mission. Taking in the salty sea breeze for almost a week to protect a cargo ship which was supposed to be picking up and shipping across something highly valuable. He feels like he pulled the short end of a stick.

**Yaku:** Sendai’s nice, though. Went there on a trip during Golden Week once

**Kenma:** p far tho

**Akaashi:** Yes, there’s that.

**Bokuto:** I’M GONNA MISS YOU BRO :’(

**Kuroo:** I’m not dead, smh

**Kenma:** F

**Kuroo:** Kenma, at least give me an RIP like a normal person

**Kenma:** no

**Lev:** What kind of assignment do you have Kuroo-san? 😮

**Kuroo:** ………….

**Kuroo:** ...civvy protection

**Bokuto:** HAAAAA??????????

**Yaku:** Oof

**Kenma:** F (2)

**Lev:** seriously??! D:

**Akaashi:** That’s… actually really surprising.

**Kuroo:** Ikr? 

**Kuroo:** Can’t believe this tbh

**Akaashi:** As much as I sympathize, Kuroo-san, I suggest you to cheer up.

**Akaashi:** It’s a pretty lowkey assignment. Get some rest. You’ve been working non-stop anyway.

**Bokuto:** YEAH!!!

**Bokuto:** KAASHI’S RIGHT

**Bokuto:** I HEARD FROM KAORI YOU ALMOST GOT SHOT UP IN TSUKUBA

**Kenma:** he whAT

**Yaku:** He was being an idiot and took on two armed people at once

**Kuroo:** I THOUGHT I COULD TAKE EM

**Kenma:** are you an idiot or are you an idiot

**Kuroo:** Do i get a third option?

**Kenma:** no

**Akaashi:** No.

**Yaku:** Nope

**Lev:** No 😠

**Bokuto:** NO

**Kuroo:** hurts </3

The conversation smoothly flows outwards from there, with Bokuto asking about the Tsukuba job to Lev and Yaku, who had both been with Kuroo on the ground during that mission while he and Akaashi were assigned with intel gathering somewhere else. Kenma was there, too, had been their comms specialist and strategist during that raid, but he didn’t hop into the conversation.

Instead, he sends a message to Kuroo privately.

**Kenma:** yo

**Kuroo:** If you’re gonna tell me off about the Tsukuba job, forget it

**Kenma:** an idiot’s an idiot no matter what i do or say

**Kuroo:** OY

**Kenma:** tell me abt that Sendai job

**Kenma:** who’re u protecting

**Kenma:** some businessman? ambassador? local politician?

**Kuroo:** a museum worker

**Kenma:** ???

**Kenma:** tf?

**Kuroo:** Yeah

**Kuroo:** Pretty weird, actually, since the file’s basically blank on the mark

**Kenma:** yea, real weird

**Kenma:** name?

**Kuroo:** Tsukishima

**Kuroo:** just that last name

**Kenma:** not a common name round jp

**Kenma:** native to miyagi?

**Kuroo:** No clue, but likely

**Kuroo:** Hold on, are you researching about my Mark?

**Kenma:** yea

**Kuroo:** I thought you had a rank match right about now??

**Kenma:** lied to Akaashi, it’s in 20 min

**Kuroo** : Evil.

**Kenma:** should I stop?

**Kenma:** i mean im only doing this since u said the case is p weird

Kuroo stop mid-bite from finishing off his third onigiri, reading the conversation from Kenma. It _was_ weird, and both of them knew that cases that were assigned to them really shouldn’t be questioned. But aside from being a strategy specialist and skilled handler, Kozume Kenma was also a talented hacker that got by doing freelance work before the Agency had hired him a few years back. He could bypass most security protocol and get away with what he was doing, so long as he doesn’t get too deep. Quiet but sharp and curious, he had always been one of the Agency’s wild cards.

For that hand to be dealt against them, it could prove disastrous to Kenma and his stay at he Agency.

**Kuroo:** It’s fine

**Kenma:** u sure?

**Kuroo:** Yeah, pretty sure it’s just cause this guy’s a nobody that even the Agency doesn’t have a file on him

**Kenma:** ehhh, doubt

**Kenma:** but if u say so

**Kuroo:** good luck with your rank

**Kenma:** ew

**Kenma:** thanks

**Kenma:** watch me tunnel the hell out of survs if they even dare emote while my ping’s 300 and up

**Kuroo:** Yeah, I have no idea what you’re saying

**Kenma:** whens ur official mission start

**Kuroo:** Tomorrow

**Kenma:** better get some sleep, old man

Kuroo sends a mocking thumbs down emote at that, to which Kenma sends a laughing cat emoji in return before disappearing into a mobile game that he touts a high rank in. Left with nothing but his thoughts for company, Kuroo scans over the papers and files he has once more before cleaning up and going over his plan tomorrow.

Improvise a cover… he’d probably have to go there early to explain to the admin what he was there for, or at least case the whole area for anything he could use. Good thing for him, Kuroo was quick on the pick-up and could make something up on the go. He trusts in himself enough to be able to do that.

But as he lies down on the bed, his team’s concerns, especially Kenma’s, keep him up for longer than necessary. How something felt out of place but he couldn’t figure out why. Or was it just him being paranoid or bitter about being assigned this case in particular? Maybe he was reading too much into it. It _had_ been quite some time when he had taken up a job like this. Who knows, things might have changed since the last time he took up a civvy protection job. 

A small voice in his head tells him that maybe he should heed Akaashi’s words, that this assignment was kind of like a blessing in disguise, a silent plea from the universe for Kuroo Tetsurou to take it easy for a bit. Sendai was a beautiful city with enough urban space to keep a born-and-bred city boy entertained, but not too much that he’d feel suffocated by all those concrete monstrosities shooting up to the sky. Eight weeks is a long time, and he’s pretty sure that he’s going to have to go out into the main thoroughfares of the city to actually blend in and acclimatize. Maybe he could kick it back and relax, even afford to sleep in for an hour more than the usual, get coffee at that Starbucks. 

Kuroo even entertains the possibility of seeing the blonde again; if he knew exactly what he wanted to order in a Starbucks, chances are he was a regular customer. That line of thought quickly makes his stomach does a small flip, guilt gnawing at his insides. Some small part of him wants to see the blonde again, because he was kinda his type. Tall, drop-dead gorgeous, with sharp eyes and what looks like an even sharper tongue. And there’s something else about him that Kuroo can’t pick out.

But experience is holding him back. Kuroo knew better than to get involved with someone while on the job. Being a special operative necessitated him to uproot his life from wherever he buried it at a moment’s notice. There can be no hang-ups that could risk anything in the middle of an operation. 

Still, Kuroo entertains the thought. Maybe just some flirty teasing here and there wouldn’t hurt. He’s meant to socialize and blend in, after all, or so he rationalizes. 

_Ah, well,_ he thinks to himself, as he finally feels the pull of fatigue dragging him to unconsciousness. _Maybe I’ll be able to see him soon._

* * *

And he _did_ see the blonde soon.

Just that Kuroo didn’t expect to see him the very next day.

It’s almost comical, and Kuroo could imagine the scene being in slow motion. One minute, he’s standing in front of the doors of the Sendai City Museum in ripped jeans and a black t-shirt with a red plaid button-up wrapped around his waist, baseball cap on his head and idly waiting for the doors to open. The next minute, there’s somebody shouting from behind him, followed by someone roughly elbowing him out of the way.

The words ‘help’ and ’thief’ lodge into his brain after one second before he’s scrambling up and pursuing the guy who had just shoved him to the side. And while the thief, who had been furiously dodging the passersby that had crossed his way, zigzagged in front of him as if trying to lose him, Kuroo’s training made him easily catch up to him, gaining ground after a few minutes, right in the middle of the mostly empty carpark.

There’s one tense moment where Kuroo is shouting for him to stop, with the thief already within arm’s reach. He reaches out to get a fistful of either the fabric of his clothes, or the strap of the bag that he had stolen, dangling to the side. But the thief sidesteps him at the last second, and there’s a glint of silver that Kuroo belatedly realizes is from a small knife that the man was holding.

_Fuck,_ he thinks, knowing full well that he’s either going to get stabbed or, at the very least, scratched. 

He lurches back on instinct and rolls on the ground, then he hears a muffled ‘oof’ sound. Kuroo looks up just in time to see somebody wearing a beige coat and holding up a long, black umbrella deliver two quick jabs to the thief — one square on the chest, knocking him of his breath, and another to the back of his knees, making him buckle and collapse onto the ground. In one fluid motion, the stranger steps over the thief and puts his arm in a tight hold over his back, with the other hand still holding the umbrella pressing down against the back of the thief’s head, incapacitating him.

“Are you alright?” He throws the question over his shoulder to Kuroo, and only after a moment turns. “Did he get y—“

“It’s you!” Kuroo exclaims, eyes wide as he scrambles back against the pavement. He physically feels his jaw go slack as he sees the blonde hair, the piercing eyes behind clear glasses. And he sees the other man mirror his expression as recognition settles in with him, as well.

“Oh, God, it’s _you,_ ” the blonde whispers. 

They hold each other’s gaze for a heavy moment, silent except for the grunting of the man beneath the blonde. Then, Kuroo does something only an asshole would do in that situation —

He laughs.

* * *

“ _So,_ ” the blonde mumbles to him, elbows on his knees as he tries to sit as best as he can on the plastic chairs in the security office of the museum that looks pathetically dwarfed under his towering stature. “Mind telling me why you’re stalking me?”

Kuroo sputters at that. “ _Excuse me?_ ”

“You heard me.” And there’s a steely edge to his voice. He’s testy, and oh, that’s a mighty glare he’s giving him. Too bad for this guy, though — Kuroo’s practically immune to those. “You show up out of nowhere, check me out at my local Starbucks, then the very next day you’re suddenly barreling in on my place of work like you’re about to run a marathon.” 

“Look, blondie, you’re cute and all, but stalking really isn’t up my alley,” Kuroo smoothly replies and evades the question entirely. He doesn’t miss the pink that dusts the other man’s cheeks, but he doesn’t comment on it. Not yet.

Said man rolls his eyes. “Oh, great, a charmer. Yuck.”

“Mm-hm, that’s me.” And he reaches over his hand to shake. He’s not able to hide his real identity; not after museum security had caught up with all three of them, and had taken them in with the victim for proper report filing. The victim, a middle-aged woman who had been out on a stroll, as well as the thief, were currently in processing, while Kuroo and the blonde were outside, waiting for them to be dismissed.

Better to introduce himself, I guess. Nothing else to lose. “Kuroo Tetsurou,” he says smoothly. “But you can call me anytime.”

The blonde just casts him a withering look. Somehow, the smirk on Kuroo’s face doesn’t falter. If anything, it just grows wider.

But before the other man could put in a pretty little jab with that pretty little mouth, Kuroo’s curiosity gets the better of him and he steps in before he could get a word in. “Aha, so you work here?”

“…Yes and no,” he replies, turning away and fixing his glasses on his face. 

“What’s that even mea-“

Kuroo’s interrupted by the door beside him opening and an elderly guard with a severe look on his lined face. It breaks out into a much softer expression when both of their heads look up.

“I have to thank both of you for helping out with the pedestrian,” he slowly enunciates as he fixes his tie. There’s a small silver pin by his left breast that bears his last name — ‘Kobayashi’. 

“All in a day’s work,” Kuroo says, at the same time that the blonde beside him says, “It’s really no problem.” 

They exchange stares for one second before the elderly guard, Kobayashi, guffaws. “Well, I don’t really need to keep you both any longer. The museum’s opening in a few minutes, so… Kuroo-san, if you’re stopping by the manager wants to give you a free VIP pass as compensation.”

“Ah, yeah, that’d be nice.” Kuroo gives him a boyish grin. 

“Great. The admin’s office is down the hall, first door on the right. I’ll have to escort Tsukishima-san here over to HR. If you’ll excuse us…”

_Hold on._ Kuroo pauses, halfway out of his seat, when he hears the surname come out of Kobayashi’s mouth. He looks up at the blonde — _Tsukishima —_ with wide eyes, and there’s a small sliver of hesitation that he sees in the other man’s eyes, behind the glasses that seem to hide a lot.

“ _Tsukishima,_ eh?” Kuroo whispers.

Somehow, that gets a weird reaction from the other man; he makes a small cough behind his mouth as if to try to dispel the sudden embarrassment. “…Yes. That’s my name. Tsukishima Kei,” he mumbles. “I figured it’s only polite. Since you told me your name as well.”

_Well, well, well._ Kuroo’s smile widens impossibly more that he feels it reach his eyes and ears. Suddenly, the small misunderstanding over at the Starbucks yesterday made sense. 

But the blonde just says looks at him a bit weirdly. “What? You find my name funny, or something?”

“Nah, not at all.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

Why _was_ he smiling? Kuroo doesn’t know, and so he shrugs. “Guess I know what to call you instead of ‘coffee thief’.”

The memory of what happened yesterday must have been quite fresh in the other’s mind, because his cheeks flare up in an _interesting_ shade of red. “You —“

“Have fun at work, Tsukki~” Kuroo says, waving his hand at him as he walked past, over in the direction of the admin’s office. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be seeing you around a lot.”

There’s a weak sputter of “It’s _Tsukishima.”_ from the other man that Kuroo decidedly ignores. He doesn’t know why, but there’s a sudden spring in his step even as he rounds the corner, even as he hears two sets of footsteps go the opposite direction and fade away the farther they get.

Maybe this Sendai assignment isn’t as bad as he first thought it’d be.

* * *

**Kuroo:** Oy, Kenma

**Kuroo:** I saw the Mark today

**Kuroo:** And some crazy stuff happened too

**Kuroo** : This Tsukishima guy? Wow

**Kuroo:** All I can say is

**Kuroo:** Wow

**Kuroo:** Like, in a good way

**Kenma:** that’s as much as a gay panic moment as i ever saw u have one

**Kuroo:** I think I’m gonna like this Sendai assignment

**Kuroo:** Like

**Kuroo:** _Really_ like it 😉 

**Kenma:** …Kuro

**Kenma:** u know what Akaashi always says

**Kenma:** don’t get too involved

**Kenma:** especially on the job

**Kuroo:** Nah, don’t worry about it

**Kuroo:** Besides,

**Kuroo:** What’s the worst that could happen?

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are highly appreciated <3


End file.
